Basic 9 · Religious and Moral Education · The Purpose and Usefulness of God's Creation
The Purpose and Usefulness of God's Creation
In this topic you will recall creation stories and identify the purpose and usefulness of God's creation according to the three main religions.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Recall the main creation stories
- Identify the purpose of creation
- Explain the usefulness of created things
What you already know
- Creation stories (Basic 8)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- God, His Creation & Attributes
- Sub-strand
- The Purpose and Usefulness of God's Creation
- Indicator
- B9.1.1.1.1 – Identify the purpose and usefulness of God’s creation
Introduction
Why does the world exist? This is one of humanity's oldest questions, and each religion offers its own answer.
1. Recalling Creation
| Religion | Teaching |
|---|---|
| Christianity | God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. |
| Islam | Allah created all things, saying "Be", and it is. |
| ATR | The Supreme Being created the world and left it in the care of lesser gods and ancestors. |
You studied these stories in Basic 8. They differ in detail, but they agree that the world is not an accident. It came from a Supreme Being, and it has a purpose.
2. Purpose in Christianity
Christians believe that God created the world to show his glory and his love. Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God." Human beings are made to love God and one another, and to care for the earth. Paul says in Colossians 1:16 that all things were created through Christ and for him. So Christians believe that creation has meaning, and that everyone has a part to play in God's plan.
3. Purpose in Islam
The Qur'an teaches that Allah created people to worship him (Surah 51:56), and that nothing was created without purpose (Surah 3:191). The earth is a place of testing: people are given choices and will be judged on the Last Day. Human beings serve as khalifah, or caretakers of the earth. Everything in nature is a sign of Allah, pointing people to their Creator.
4. Purpose in African Traditional Religion
In ATR, the world is a shared home for the living, the ancestors and spiritual beings. People should live in harmony with the Supreme Being, the spirits, one another and nature. Land, rivers and forests are often seen as sacred. The purpose of life is to live well, to bring honour to one's family and to become a respected ancestor. Traditional stories explain the role of each creature in the balance of nature.
5. Common Ideas
| Idea | Meaning |
|---|---|
| creation has a maker | It did not happen by chance. |
| creation has order | Day and night, seasons and growth follow patterns. |
| people have a role | They must care for what they have been given. |
| creation deserves respect | It belongs to the Supreme Being. |
New words
- glory
- Great honour and praise.
- purpose
- The reason something exists.
- khalifah
- A caretaker on earth in Islam.
- harmony
- Living together peacefully.
Summary
- All three religions teach that the world has a purpose.
- People are called to worship and to care for creation.
- ATR stresses harmony between people, spirits and nature.
Class activity: Purpose Table
- Make a table of what each religion teaches.
- Find the shared ideas.
- Present your table.
You need: Bible, Local leaves, Calabash of clean water
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Who rested on the seventh day in the Bible?
- A. God
- B. Adam
- C. Moses
- D. Noah
Show answer
Answer: GodGenesis.2. Muslims believe people were created to…
- A. worship Allah
- B. rule animals only
- C. become rich
- D. travel
Show answer
Answer: worship AllahSurah 51:56.3. ATR teaches harmony with nature.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueHarmony.4. A caretaker on earth in Islam is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: khalifahTerm.5. State two shared ideas about creation.
Show answer
Answer: It has a maker, and people must care for it.Any two.6. What does Psalm 19:1 teach about nature?
Show answer
Answer: The natural world shows God's glory.Scripture.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- God, His Creation & Attributes
- Sub-strand
- The Purpose and Usefulness of God's Creation
- Indicator
- B9.1.1.1.1 – Identify the purpose and usefulness of God’s creation
Introduction
Look around you. Air, water, plants and animals all serve you, and you depend on every one of them.
1. Usefulness of Creation
| Created thing | Usefulness |
|---|---|
| sun | light, heat, food through plants |
| water | drinking, farming, fishing, cleaning |
| air | breathing, rain, wind |
| soil | farming and building |
| plants | food, medicine, timber, shade |
| animals | food, transport, companionship |
| minerals | gold, bauxite, salt |
| human beings | caring, creating and working |
2. Everything Is Connected
Created things depend on each other. Plants need sunlight and water, and animals depend on plants. When animals die, they return nutrients to the soil, and this helps new plants to grow. Bees pollinate crops, and without them, many foods would disappear. Even creatures we dislike play a part: vultures clean up dead animals, and snakes control rats. Religious people see this order as a sign of the Creator's wisdom. Scientists call this the balance of nature, or an ecosystem.
3. Medicine from Nature
Many Ghanaian herbalists use plants for healing. Neem is widely used in traditional treatment for fever, and the bark and leaves of many trees are used in remedies. Modern medicines have also come from plants. The Ghana Food and Drugs Authority registers some herbal medicines, and the Centre for Plant Medicine Research at Mampong-Akuapem studies them. This shows that creation contains healing yet to be fully discovered. It also shows why forests should be protected. Herbal medicines must be used with care and with proper advice.
4. Creation and Work
Created things become useful through human work. Cocoa beans need farming, and iron ore must be mined and shaped. Religious traditions honour work. Genesis 2:15 says that God put Adam in the garden to work it. Islam praises honest labour, and the Prophet said that no one eats better food than what they earn with their own hands. Traditional society teaches the value of hard work through proverbs. Using creation wisely, through honest work, is therefore a way of honouring the Creator.
5. Gratitude
If all these things are gifts, the proper response is gratitude. Christians say grace before meals, Muslims say "Alhamdulillah" (praise be to Allah) and traditional believers pour libation to give thanks. Harvest festivals in all traditions show the same spirit. Gratitude also makes us careful, because people do not waste what they value.
New words
- ecosystem
- Living things and their surroundings.
- pollinate
- To carry pollen between flowers.
- herbalist
- A healer who uses plants.
- gratitude
- Being thankful.
Summary
- Created things provide for our needs.
- Nature is connected in a balance.
- Work and gratitude are right responses to creation.
Class activity: Web of Life
- Draw a web linking sun, plants, animals and people.
- Remove one link.
- Discuss the effect.
You need: Local leaves, Calabash of clean water, Printed photograph of a Ghanaian sacred grove
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which provides light and heat?
- A. the sun
- B. a stone
- C. a chair
- D. a road
Show answer
Answer: the sunCreation.2. Bees are useful because they…
- A. pollinate crops
- B. eat metal
- C. cause rain
- D. dig wells
Show answer
Answer: pollinate cropsNature.3. Plants can provide medicine.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueUsefulness.4. Living things and their surroundings form an ______.
Show answer
Answer: ecosystemTerm.5. State three uses of water.
Show answer
Answer: Drinking, farming and cleaning.Any three.6. Explain why even vultures are useful.
Show answer
Answer: They clean up dead animals, which helps to prevent disease.Balance.
Homework
- List twenty things in your home that come from God's creation.